legal: Meaning and Definition of

le•gal

1. permitted by law; lawful: Such acts are not legal.
2. of or pertaining to law; connected with the law or its administration: the legal profession.
3. appointed, established, or authorized by law; deriving authority from law.
4. recognized by law rather than by equity.
5. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the profession of law or of lawyers: a legal mind.
1. of or pertaining to the Mosaic Law.
2. of or pertaining to the doctrine that salvation is gained by good works rather than through free grace.

1. a person who acts in a legal manner or with legal authority.
2. an alien who has entered a country legally.
3. a person whose status is protected by law.
4. a fish or game animal, within specified size or weight limitations, that the law allows to be caught and kept during an appropriate season.
5. a foreigner who conducts espionage against a host country while working there in a legitimate capacity, often in the diplomatic service.
6. authorized investments that may be made by fiduciaries, as savings banks or trustees.